PTSD: The Veterans Avalanche is Here

Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Physician Pharmacologist and Toxicologist. After surviving WWII, he went on to treat veterans for years who suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

By Tim King Salem-News.com

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - As a former Combat Infantry Veteran, victim of PTSD and physician for PTSD veteran victims, I keep my eyes and ears open about any information about the subject.

That is how I kept alive as a point man and forward observer during WWII (Read my book about Blood and Guts, General Patton.)

Today is July 29th, 2008. Last night on CBS I heard Katie Couric state that the VA (I suppose) had a new PTSD hotline which had over 50 thousand calls in the last 12 months and 12 thousand vets were under care.

What type of care was not indicated but that is progress. My mind asked----"What about the other 38 thousand?" This is Beau coups serious.

I will admit that PTSD ranges in severity from one (slight) to ten which is almost post suicide. Only a combat veteran knows about battle PTSD.

In my own case, it was little and poor food, little sleep in a muddy foxhole, constant 24 hour a day adrenaline pounding vigilance, no change of dirty clothes, No empathy from our sergeants or "Louies."

It was go, go, go to the absolute limit of our endurance and even more.

I fully understand that soldier medics, nurses and doctors got PTSD also but nothing like the Combat Infantrymen. It’s a wonder that more of us didn’t go bonkers (and many of us did).

When dogface soldier reaches the point of shooting himself in the foot and even a dishonorable discharge is much preferred to getting killed or seriously wounded by the enemy, there is a problem.

One of the answers was planting a grenade in a hated G.I. officer’s bed. I happened about 200 times in Vietnam. Similar things probably occurred in N. Africa, Italy and France but my experience was that officers NEVER lead an attack. Nevertheless lieutenants had the highest casualty rate.

Watching Recon missions in Iraq gives me the willies for the poor SOBs that are doing it. Been there, seen that, done that.

A recent OPB series Foyles War gave excellent depictions of PTSD and I hope the general public sees and understands what is going on.

"Yes Houston we have a problem." Its veterans with PTSD.

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More information on the history of Dr. Leveque can be found in his book, General Patton's Dogface Soldier of Phil Leveque about his experiences in WWII.
Order the book by mail by following this link: Dogface Soldier

Watch for more streaming video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King and Dr. Phil Leveque.

Click on this link for other articles and video segments about PTSD and medical marijuana on Salem-News.com:
Dr. Leveque INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES